Tube frame



March 20, 1928.

' C. LEA

TUBE FRAME Filed April 24. 1926 nvvz TOR BY Q MW ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 20, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,663,501 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES LEA, OF MILTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO SHAWMUT ENGINEERING COMPANY, 011' BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

TUBE FRAME.

Application filed April 24, 1926. Serial No. 104,317.

This invention relates to tube frames for tuft weaving, andparticularly deals with the construction pertaining to the support of the yarn-spools which supply the yarn 5 to form the tufts constituting the pile of the fabric being woven. The single spool for narrow fabric tuft-tubes commonly employs a spool having a small journal or gudgeon at each end to rotatably journal the spool in the end bearings of such tube frame, but

such spools are not adapted for use in multiple spool tube-frames, such as are-used in wideor seamless Axminster looms.

In these multiple spool seamless tube frames it is plain that the wider the separation between two adjacent spool heads or ends, the greater will be the Offset lengthwise of the frameiof those tuft tubes mounted opposite the middle bearing stand or bracket in relation to the plane of the coils of yarn at the end of the spool which supply yarn to such tuft tubes, and such wide sepa ration results in the yarn passing through the spool to such intermittently arranged tuft-tubes being chafed against the side edges of theintake ends of .the tuft tubes. It has been common practice, therefore, to employ end journals in multiple spool tube frames that telescopeone into the other for support in the intermediatebearing stands or brackets, thus permitting the adjacent spool heads to be brought nearer together than would be possible were such telescoping connection not provided. Obviously, the small pintle journals of the ordinary single spool tube-frame for narrow fabric do not permit such telescoping engagement and, therefore, if such spools should be used it is obvious that the adjacent heads of the spools must be separated a distance equal to the total length of projection of both journals. It is. obvious also that it would be of great practicaladvantage and economy to the carpet mills if they could use the same spools, without disadvantage, interchangeably in both narrow and wide loom tube frames, since then a supply of spools for a given pattern could be usedindiscriminately for the making of seamedrugs and of seamless rugs, and in both cases the spools could be reversed end to end to reverse the pattern.

It is the object of'the present invention to meet this condition and provide a construction which shall p rmit the use of the p ntle journal yarn-spool. universally in all kinds of work, while preserving the narrow, spacing between adjacent ends of multiple spools in seamless tube-frames.

To this end the invention comprises, generally speaking, a tube-frame having a longitudinal carrier-bar in which is mounted a series of yarn-spools rotatably journaled lengthwise of the frame and end to end in suitable supports to allow the spool journals to be offset transversely of the carrier-bar so that the pintle journals of adjacent spools need not interfere with each other, and thus may be secured anarrow spacing of the adj acent ends of yarn-spools, and so that there need be no matching of complementary journals and hencethe yarn-spools may not only be reversed in every position in which they are used but may be used in any desired order of arrangement in the multiple spool tube-frames.

This and other features of the invention willbe described in the following specification and will be defined in the claims hereto annexed.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a simple and convenient construction embodying the principles of this invention, in which Figure '1 is a front elevation of a multiple spool frame constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of two adjacent spool ends with the intermediate bearing stand open to expose the offset journals of the two spools. A 1

' Figure 3 is an end elevation of the intermediate bearing bracket showing both journals locked in their respective bearings.

Figure 4 is a similar view after the looking latch has been depressed to permit opening of .the keeper which retains the journals against displacement.

-Figure 5 is a similar view showing the ournal-locking keeper or dctent in open position to permit theremoval or the insertion of the spools.

In the practice of this invention, according to the form illustrated in the drawings, I have employed an intermediate spool-bearing stand or bracket having journal locking 7 means embodying the principles set forth in United States patent of E. F. Hathaway N0. 1,529,543,dated March 10, 1925, in which a pivotal keeper carries a locking latch to hold it locked in journal-retaining position, while allowing its instantaneous opening by the mere downwardand rearward pressure of the finger upon the latch, but it will be understood that any suitable form of journal-retaining means may be employed that will meet the requirements of Axininster tube frame practice.

In the drawings the longitudinal carrierbar 1, to which the row of individual parallel yarn-guiding tuft-tubes 2 is attached is provided with a suspension ear or hanger 3, carrying a hook-latch l, to engage the usual carrier-chain. End brackets or members5 form a bearing support for the journals 6 of a series of yarn-spools 7, having the usual heads at each end to support the package of yarn ends coiled thereon.

The intermediate yarn-spool bearing stands or brackets comprise a pair of vertical plates 10, having oppositely turned feet 10 for attachment to the top of the carrierbar. The upper ends of these plates are provided with bearing notches or recesses 10" arranged in juxtaposition, one with the other, to.permit the journals 6 of adjacent spool ends to be dropped thereinto for rotatable support.

Between these two upright plates, provided with the open bearing recesses, is pivotally mounted a pair of pivotal plates 11, fulcrumed on a cross-pin 11, and having, at their upper ends, an overhanging or hooklike portion 11 which is adapted, when the keepers are swung forward, to overhang the journals 6 of the adjacent spools and prevent their accidental escape from their bearing recesses.

Between the two pivotal keepers 11, which are slightly spaced apart for the purpose, is mounted a locking latch 12 which is provided with parallel slots 12 to receive supporting and guiding pins 13 which connect the two bearing plates 10.

An interposed spring 14, between a portion of the latch and a portion of the pivotal keepers, serves to normally throw the latch upward .so that its notch 12 engages a stop pin 15, as shown in Figure 3, in which position the parts are locked against movement. Obviously, pressure downward on the upper end of the latch 12 and rearwardly tends to depress the latch and allow the keeper to swing rearwardly to uncover the journals 6 and allow either spool journal to be lifted out of its bearing.

It will be understood that while I have used the aforesaid Hathaway bearing lock, because of its narrow construction allowing the spool ends to be brought close together,

that any suitable keeper may be used for this purpose.

It will be seen that the same keeper serves to retain both spool journals of adjacent spools against accidental removal from their bearings, while the release of both journals is accomplished by a single action. The en rangement allows the (llStElIlCB separating the two spool ends or members to be reduced by a distance substantially equal to the length of one of the pintles so that, with this arrangement and construction, the spool ends may be brought as closely together as in the case of inter-telescoping journals heretofore used in multiple spool tube-frames. At the same time the simple form of pintle journal spool commonly used for narrow loom tube-frames is made adaptable to each and every position in multiple spool tubeframes without necessitating the wider separation of the spools, and furthermore is reversible end to 'end in any position in which it may be placed.

What I claim is:

1. Ina tube frame for tuft-weaving, the combination with a longitudinal carrierbar, a plurality of longitudinally arranged spools rotatably journaled above the tube frame with the adjacent journals of adjacent spools disposed in transversely offset planes to permit the journals to lap by each other.

2. In a tube frame fortuft-weaving, the combination with a longitudinal carrier-bar, spool-bearing brackets secured to each end of said bar, one or more intermediate bearing brackets mounted upon the carrier-bar to project between the adjacent heads of ad j acent spools and provided with ofiset bearing openings, for supporting adjacent spool journals rotatably in offset relation to each other. I

3. In a tube frame for tuft-weaving, the combination with a longitudinal carrier-bar, spool-bearing brackets at each end of the bar, intermediate spoolsupporting means positioned to afford bearings for adjacent spool journals in offset relation each to the other to permit one to lap beyond the other when the spools are mounted in operative position.

4. A tube frame yarn-spool bearing for supporting adjacent yarn-spool journals in longitudinally overlapped relation, embracing its c'onstruction a narrow upwardly projecting standard adaptedto be secured :to the earrier bar oflthe tube-frame toextend transversely thereof between two adjacent spool heads, the upper edge of said standard being provided with adjacent open bearing recesses for the reception of two adjacent longitudinally overlapped spool journals, one arranged in front of the other, and a keeper arranged to be moved transversely of the carrier-bar from open position to closed .position above said recesses to retain both said journals in their respective bearings, while permitting the removal of either when moved to open position.

In witness whereof, I have subscribed the above specification.

' CHARLES. LEA 

